Players Union Says Penalties Likely Won’t Be Served in 2013

Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- If Major League Baseball hands down suspensions for players connected to a South Florida clinic suspected of providing performance-enhancing substances, the Major League Baseball Players Association says it will challenge the penalties before an arbitrator.

Michael Weiner, MLBPA executive director, says that means that even if the penalties are upheld, the players likely wouldn’t serve their suspensions until next year. That’s because hearings in front of arbitrator Fredric Horowitz would not take place before September.

Weiner expects baseball officials to notify the union about the suspensions next month, but says those penalties shouldn’t be made public until after any hearings.

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun are among about 20 players being investigated by Major League Baseball for their alleged connection to Anthony Bosch, co-founder of the now-closed Biogenesis clinic in Miami.